Guard for railway crossings



Oct. 26

W. T FERGUSON GUARD FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Ju ly 31, 1924 gvweniom u 5 an.

0st. 26 H26 W. T. FERGUSON GUARD FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS Filed July 31, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 kj mm IV. I F 617 mson,

Get. 26 1926.

W. T. FERGUSON GUARD FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS Filed July 31, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ratentcd @ct. 26, 1926.

UNED fi'lfiaTES PTENTOFFICE.

WILLIAM" T. FERGUSON, F BEGKLEY, \VEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MEfiNE ASSIGNMENT$, 'I'Q SAFETY RAIL'WAY CROSSING- GOMPANY, A CORPORA- TION 01E WEfiT VIRGINIA.

GUARD FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS.

Application filed July 31, 1924.

This invention relates to guards for urban and rural railway crossings, and has for one of its objects the provision of a structure of this kind which shall include gates arranged respectively on opposite sides of the crossing and adapted when closed to be yieldinn ly held in such position in order that a vehicle trapped on the crossing by the closing of the gates may escape.

A further object of the invention provision of a guard of the character stated wherein the gates shall be adapted to swing downwardly in a direction away from the rails when being opened, and wherein the gates shall be adapted to occupy a position below the surface of the crossing when opened, to the end that one or the other of the gates may be readily opened by driving a trapped vehicle against the same and the vehicle quickly driven beyond the crossing.

A still further object otthe invention is the provision of novel and simple train or car controlled means for closing and openinn the gates.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinatter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: a

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a railway crossing equipped with a guard constructed in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 22 of Fieure 1,

Figure 8 is sectional view taken on the plane indicated bv the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure e is a detail view showing one of the gates in closed position and a part of the grate operating; means, portions of the gate and operating means being in vertical section, a

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 5--5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 66 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view of a portion of one of the gates illustrating the means by which the gate is illuminated when in closed position,

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view taken on is the Serial No. 729,348.

the plane indicated by the line 88 of Figure 1,

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of the circuits for the gate operating means, the

gate illuminating means and the audible signallinp; means, and

Figure 10 is a detail perspective view of the switch.

In the drawings, 1 and 2 are the rails of a at a considerable distance trom the other side of the roadway. All of these rails, together with those situated between the distance rails -1- and 5 and 6 and 7 and the cross inn" rails 1 and 2. are in electrical communication and constitute what may be termed a 1 block. Whenever a train or car enters this blocks the state actuating means functions to close the grates, and when the train or car leaves this block the gate actuating means functions to open the gates.

The roadway 3 or that part thereof which is adjacent the rails 1 andi2 is preferably made of concrete, and it is provided adjacent the rails 1 and 2 with grooves 8 which are arranged in parallel relation to the rails 1 and 2. The grooves 8 extend throughout the entire width of the roadwav 3 and openout through the upper surface thereof. Shafts 9 which constitute the lower bars of the gates are rotatably supported within the grooves 8 hv hcariurrs 10. The gates also comprise end bars 11 which are secured to th shaftst), and top and intermediate bars 12 and 13, respectively, which are secured to the bars 11. Theroadway 3 is providedwith grooves 1 4, 1a and 16 for the reception of the end. top and intermediate bars 1L 12 and 13, respectivelv when the gates are in opened position. It will thus be seen that when the gates are in opened position they are located below the surface of the roadway 3. Due thereto, vehicles may pass over the crossing; without injuring the gates.

The shafts 9 are provided adiacent their ends with arms 17 which extend therefrom at an angle to the planes of the ates. Links 18 extend from the arms 17 to levers 19 which are located centrally between the shafts 9 and which are pivoted centrally between their ends as at 20 upon bases 21 firmly 'anchored in the roadbed.

The inner ends of the links 18 have pin and slot connections with the levers 19 as shown at 22. The inner portions of the links 18 are located in a plane below the rails 1 and 2. At points outwardly beyond the rails 1 and 2 and adjacent the shafts 9, the links 18 are bent upwardly as shown at 23 in Figures 3 and 4 t upwardly offset their outer ends 24 which are slidably received by blocks carried by the upper endsof the arms 17. The blocks 25 are slidably and rotatably connected to the arms 17 by pins 26 and slots 27, as shown in Figures 3 and 6. The upper ends of the arms 17 are provided with housings 28 for the reception of the blocks 25. The housings 28 are of sectional formation, and the sections thereof are connected together by bolts 29. The slots 27 which are axially alined with the arms 17 are formed in the side walls of the housings 28. The end portions 24 of the links18 extend outwardly beyond the arms sition.

17 and are provided at their outer ends with nuts 30 between which and the blocks are compression springs 31 which normally hold the gates against any movement with respect to the links 18, The structure j ust described is such that when one of the levers 19 is rocked in one direction the gates will be moved into closed position. and such that when the lever is released the gates will be moved into opened position by a weight carried by one of the shafts 9 and by springs which are anchored in the roadway 3, which bear against the outer sides of the gates when the latter are in closed position and which are tensioned during the movement of the gates into closedposition. As shown in Figure 4. the springs 31 arelocated at the outer sides of the arms 17 and blocks and due thereto they yieldingly support the gates in closed position. Should a vehicle be trapped on the crossing between the gates.

the driver may make his escape by driving the vehicle against the gate that he is facing. When such pressure is applied to the gate it will be swung downwardly into opened position. ,l Vhen the gate is moved under the influence of a trapped vehicle, the blocks'will slide along the end portions 24 of the links 18. with the result that the springs 31 will be compressed. As soon as the vehicle passes beyond the gate, the

springs 31 will react and return the gate to closed position.

The weight 32 and the springs constitute the means for returning the gates to opened position and normally holding them in such position. 7 v

An electric motor 34, an endless chain a rod 36, and a lug 37 carried by the chain 35 and contacting with one side of a head 38 carried by the rod 36, constitute the means by which the gates are moved into closed po- The chain 35 passes about a sprocket 35 to travel in adirection to effect the move nent of the rod 36 in the direction of the 1110 tor by reason of the contact of the lug 37 with the head The head 38 constitutes the keeper of an electromagnet which is positioned between the motor 34 and said head. The motor 34 is supplied with current from a battery 44 by a lead 45 which extends from one pole of the battery to the contact jaw A of aswitch 46, a lead 47 which extends from the contact jaw B of the switch to one side of the motor, a lead 48 which e tends from the other side of the motor to one "erminal of the winding of the electromagnet 43, a lead which extends from the other terminal of the winding of the, electromagnet to the rail 7 which formsa part of the block hereinbefore mentioned, and a lead 50 which extends from the other terminal of the battery 44 to the rail 6 which also forms a part of said block. When a train enters the block, current will flow from the battery 44 through the lead 45, switch 46, lead 47,

motor 34, lead 48, electromagnet 43, lead 49. the tram or car, and lead 50. it "ill thus be seen that the motor 34 and electromagnet 43 will be simultaneously energized. When the head 38 of the rod 36 is moved by the act-nation of the motor 34 and chain 35 to a point where it will contact with the core of the electromagnet 43, the gates will be in. raised position and the switch 48 thrown, the blades C thereof will be move'dout of contact with the jaws A and B and into contact with the jaws D and E, with the result that the circuitof the motor 34 will be broken and a circuit established through the magnet 43 which circuit will remain closed while a train is intheblock. The magnet circuitcomprises a lead 51 extending from the battery 44 to the contact jaw D. a lead 51 extending fromthe contact jaw E to the magnet 43, the lead 49, rail 7. train or car. rail 6 and lead 50. The head 38 carries an extension 52 which is adapted to engage the switch throwing rod 53 immediately upon the gates being moved into raised position. As best shown in Figure 8. this rod is slidably mounted in guides 54 and pivotally connected to the switch blades as at 55. The bladesof the switch 44 are normally held in circuit closing position by a spring 56, as shown in Figure 8. Vv' hen the switch is thrown by the extension 52 on the rod 36, the spring 56 is under tension, with the re: sult that when the electromagnet 43 is deener 'ized by the train or car passing out of the block the spring will return the blades of the switch it to circuit closingpositionso that when another train or car enters the block the motor 34 and electromagnet L3 will be again energized and the gates swung into and held in closed position during the time that the train or car is in the block. hen the electromagnet &3 is deenergized, as the result of the train or car leaving the block, the rod 36 is released and the weight 32 and springs 33 are free to move the gates into opened position.

Each gate carries in its top bar 12 an electric bulb 57 and is provided in its outer side with a lens 58 through which the light rays of the electric bulb 57 pass in order to indicate that the gate is in closed position. Each electric bulb is supplied with current from battery 44? when a train or car is in the block by leads 59 and 66 which pass through the gate and which are connected to the rails 1 and 2 and the bulb.

An audible signal in the form of an electric bell 61 is provided, and this signal is set in operation at a considerable period prior to the closing of the gates. Rails 62 and 63 which are located at the desired or required distance beyond the rails 4t and 5 and which are insulated therefrom as at 6 1 form apart of the circuit of the signal 61. Rails 65 and 66 which are located at the desired or required distance beyond the rails 67 and which are insulated therefrom as at 67 also form a part of the circuit of the signal 61. A lead 68 extends from one binding post of the signal 61 to the rail 62, and a lead 69 extends from the other binding post of the signal to the rail 63. A battery 70 is interposed in the lead 69. A lead 71 extends from the lead 68 to the rail 66, and a lead 72 extends from the lead 69 to the rail 65. lVhen a train or car reaches the rails 62 and 63 or the rails 65 and 66, the circuit of the signal 61v is closed.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it should be apparent that when a car reaches the block which includes the rails 1 to 7, the electric motor 3-1 will be set in operation, and that it will be operated until the switch 16 is thrown by the extension 52 of the head 38. This operation of the electric motor 34 closes the gates. Promptly on the closing of the gates the switch 16 will. be thrown in the manner described and the head 38 will be attracted by the electroinagnet 43 to hold the gates in closed position. As soon as the train or car passes out of the block, the circuit through the electromagnet 43 will be broken, leaving the gates 3 free to be moved into opened position by the weight 32 and the springs 33. It should also be apparent that a vehicle trapped on the crossing by the closing of the gates may readily escape with out damage thereto and to the gates, and

that the gate lowered by the vehicle during its escape will be closed immediately after the vehicle has passed beyond the gate. It should he further apparent that the signal 61 will be sounded before the train or car reaches the point at which the gate closing mechanism will be set in operation.

It should also be understood that the drawings are merely illustrative and do not pretend to give exact proportions. Furthermore, the said drawings are illustrative of a preferred construction, it being my expectation that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. A railway guard comprising horizontal shafts, gates carried by the shafts, arms carried by the shafts, blocks, means for rotatably connecting the blocks to the arms and supporting them for slidable movement in the direction of the length of the arms, pivotally mounted levers located between the shafts, links connected to the levers and slidably passing through the blocks, stops carried by the links, springs carried by the links between and contacting with the blocks and stops, and gate closing means connected to one of said levers.

2. A railway guard including a shaft, a gate carried by the shaft, an arm carried by the shaft, a block, means for rotatably connecting the block to the arm and supporting it for slidable movement in the direction of the length of the arm, a lever, a link connected to the lever and slidably passing through the block, a stop carried by the link, a spring carried by the link between and contacting with the block and stop, and gate closing means connected to the lever.

3. A railway guard comprising a normally open gate, a rod connected to the gate, an electric motor, a motor driven element adapted to actuate the rod to close the gate, an electro-magnet adapted to hold said rod in position to retain the gate closed, a source of current, an electric circuit including said source, motor and magnet, a second circuit including said source and magnet, a switch controlling both of said circuits, and switch throwing means adapted to be operated by said rod when the gate is closed to break the first and close the second circuit.

1. A railway guard comprising a normally open gate, a rod connected to the gate, an electric motor, an endless element adapt ed to be driven by the motor and provided with a lug adapted to engage and actuate the rod to close the gate, an electro-magnet adapted to hold the said rod in position to hold the gate closed, a source of current, an electric circuit including said source, motor and magnet, a second circuit including said source of current and magnet, a switch con trolling both of said circuits, and switch throwing means adapted to be operated by said rod When the gate is closed to break the first and close the second circuit.

5. A railway guard including a shaft, a gate carried by the shaft, a rod connected to the shaft, electrically operated means adapted to IDOVQ the rod in a direction to close the gate, electrically operated means adapted to cooperate Withthe rod to hold the gate in closed position, a source of current,

an electric circuit including said source and both of said means, a second circuit including said source of current and second'named means, a switch controlling both of said circuits, and switch throwing means adapted 15 to be operated by said rod Whenthe gate is closed to break the first and close the second circuit. V.

In testimony whereof I aifiizmy signature.

WILLIAM T. FERGUSON. 

